Chapter 745 Swift and Decisive Measures (Third Update)

Xiao Heng took excellent care of the little (mischievous) patient, giving him a full-body bubble bath and then a full-body massage—applying baby powder from his medicine box.

"Here, here, and here too!"

"Wow, I smell so good!"

"I want Jiaojiao to smell it, Jiaojiao likes me the most!"

Nonsense, it was clearly me.

Gu Jiao is also taking a shower, so we won't see her for the time being.

A fair-skinned, chubby little winter melon rolled onto the bed, propped his head up with one hand, and assumed a small reclining Buddha pose, saying in a pretentious tone, "Ah Heng, serve tea."

Xiao Heng: I think you deserve a beating.

Xiao Jingkong was recklessly flirting with death, completely unaware that her wicked brother-in-law's eyes were turning dangerous.

Feeling refreshed after his shower, he didn't waste any time before collapsing back and falling asleep.

It's breezy today, so it's fairly cool.

Xiao Heng summoned a disciple from the Imperial Preceptor's Hall and asked him to watch over Xiao Jingkong.

The right corridor of the Qilin Hall is a rather special place. No unrelated people live there. The room closest to the operating room is where Shangguan Yan and Gu Jiao live, and he lives next door.

The room opposite was empty, so Xiao Heng had the disciples of the Imperial Preceptor's Hall prepare a separate room for Gu Jiao.

Xiao Heng arrived at the side room and was about to knock when the door was opened from the inside.

Gu Jiao had just finished showering and changed into a dry, youthful long robe. Her long, wet hair was draped over her shoulders and back, with a strand falling across her forehead.

Water droplets trembled on the tips of her hair, crystal clear, refracting countless rays of light.

Her hair was so black and shiny that it made her skin look even smoother and more like jade.

Water droplets clung to her long eyelashes, her eyes were moist and glistening, and her lips were soft and rosy.

Xiao Heng's Adam's apple bobbed.

Gu Jiao looked at him with a smile.

Xiao Heng realized his lapse in composure, cleared his throat, and said, "I came to see you. Is it convenient for me to come in?"

Gu Jiao stepped aside to let Xiao Heng in.

Xiao Heng closed the door behind him, went to the table, poured himself a large glass of cold tea, and gulped it down. Only then did he feel his anger subside.

He then looked at Gu Jiao: "You're not drying your hair."

Gu Jiao gave an "oh" and said indifferently, "It's hot, it'll dry in a bit."

She went to the small table by the window and opened the small medicine box.

Xiao Heng looked at the ointment she took out and asked, "Are you injured?"

Gu Jiao shook her head: "No, I just got bitten by mosquitoes a few times." The mosquitoes in the forest are too venomous. I didn't feel anything when they bit me, but I found out I had several big welts when I took a shower.

"Was Jingkong bitten?" she asked.

"He's fine, just a few small red spots," Xiao Heng said, taking a cotton towel and walking towards her. "Let me see where he bit me."

Gu Jiao tilted her head back and pointed to her neck: "Here." Then she rolled up her sleeves and pointed to her wrist: "And here."

She had no ulterior motives; she was simply showing off the large welts she had gotten from mosquito bites.

However, unspeakable romantic thoughts flashed through Xiao Heng's mind.

Thinking about it carefully, they really hadn't been alone together for too long. Even though she had changed into a young man's long robe and spoke in a young man's voice, as long as she was still herself, he couldn't help but feel a certain impulse.

“You…” Gu Jiao stared at him blankly.

Xiao Heng lowered his eyes: "I'll help you apply the medicine."

"Okay." Gu Jiao handed him the cotton swabs and ointment.

Xiao Heng lowered his head, dipped a cotton swab in the ointment, and applied it little by little to the large bumps caused by mosquito bites.

He tried his best to clear his mind, but someone wouldn't give him a chance to be at peace.

"Lord Xiao, your heart is beating so fast." Gu Jiao placed her hand on his chest.

She had taken a cold shower, and her palms were cold, but when she touched them, his heart burned hot.

He grabbed her wrist and sighed helplessly, "Gu Jiaojiao, I can't concentrate on applying the medicine to you like this."

Gu Jiao: "Oh."

Xiao Heng released her hand and continued to wipe her hands.

Gu Jiao stopped making a move and just stared straight at him, staring and staring.

Then Xiao Heng heard the sound of swallowing.

Xiao Heng: "..."

Applying medicine is usually a very ordinary thing, but in this atmosphere it becomes a very private matter.

The atmosphere suddenly became ambiguous.

Xiao Heng took a deep breath, calmly took her hand, rolled up her sleeve, and evenly applied the ointment to each of her affected areas.

He finished slowly and methodically, handling the entire process with ease and composure.

But just as he placed the ointment on the table and tossed the cotton swabs into the basket, he suddenly grabbed Gu Jiao's nape with one hand and lowered his head to kiss her deeply.

He was so calm before, almost like an old monk in meditation, that Gu Jiao thought he wouldn't do anything.

This was so exciting that Gu Jiao's heart skipped a beat before being overwhelmed by his domineering and forceful nature.

Wow, you've really grown up. Are men all naturally gifted in this area?

She's so good at it...

It wasn't too hot today, and a cool breeze was blowing through the house, making it quite pleasant.

"Your Highness, I cut some fruit—ah! I didn't see anything!"

Yu He covered her eyes and quickly turned around, holding the tray in one hand instead.

He planned to leave, but after thinking about it, he still groped his way in, put the fruits on the table, and then walked out with his eyes closed, not daring to open them and bumping into the wall.

After Yu He blindly stepped over the threshold, he blindly closed the door for the two of them, saying, "You...you two continue!"

Gu Jiao chuckled.

Xiao Heng's ears turned slightly red.

Gu Jiao looked at him with a half-smile and said, "Will Xiao Qing want to beat you up when he gets back?"

She was caught kissing a man in broad daylight by a disciple of the Imperial Preceptor's Hall, ruining nineteen years of her innocence in an instant.

"We'll talk about it when he gets back." His ears turned red as he lifted her delicate chin and lowered his head to look at her again.

...

Xiao Jingkong was exhausted; he was still asleep by 5 PM.

The eldest disciple, Ye Qing, led Old Master Mu to the third floor of the library.

Gu Jiao and Xiao Heng went to the second floor of the library to eavesdrop.

The two of them pressed their ears against the wall, leaning against the window.

Gu Jiao: "Did you hear that?"

Xiao Heng shook his head: "No, what about you?"

Gu Jiao: "I don't have any either."

That can't be right. She saw them just now. They were upstairs, right above her. Why couldn't she hear them? Is the library really that soundproof?

"You keep watch for me," Gu Jiao said to Xiao Heng.

She was referring to the two disciples of the Imperial Preceptor Hall who were on duty at the entrance on the second floor.

“Okay,” Xiao Heng said.

Gu Jiao climbed out of the second-floor window, grabbed the relief on the exterior wall, and slowly climbed up to the third floor.

When she finally climbed to the third-floor window, she saw a highly skilled assassin from the Imperial Advisor's Hall standing inside, staring at her expressionlessly.

Gu Jiao: "..."

"Greetings, sir; farewell, sir."

Gu Jiao quickly climbed down.

Xiao Heng carried Gu Jiao inside: "Why so fast? Did you see her?"

After landing, Gu Jiao clapped her hands, let out a long breath, and said, "I saw it, they were arguing."

Third floor.

Old Master Mu argued vehemently, "What evidence does your Imperial Preceptor's Hall have to prove that my Mu family did this! My Mu family has never offended the Imperial Preceptor's Hall, so why should we be slandered like this!"

The Grand Preceptor said, "The divination has already made it very clear that it was your Mu family who did it."

Grandpa Mu laughed loudly, "A divination? Ha, what a laughing stock! The Imperial Preceptor's Hall arrests people based on divination alone! They don't even need to provide evidence!"

The Grand Preceptor calmly said, "Arresting people based on evidence is the method used by the Commandant's Office and the Three Departments. Our Grand Preceptor Hall relies on divination and fortune-telling."

What kind of fortune telling?

This old charlatan must have gotten some information from somewhere, but he couldn't produce any solid evidence, so he used fortune-telling to cover it up.

He thought the Imperial Preceptor dared to arrest him because he had leverage over the Mu family.

That made him less afraid.

Old Master Mu sneered: "Imperial Advisor, it's not that I doubt your abilities, but to pin the blame on our Mu family based solely on divination is unlikely to convince the people of the world."

The Imperial Advisor fell into deep thought.

As expected, the Imperial Preceptor's Hall had no evidence!

Grandpa Mu said confidently, "If you can produce evidence, I'll give you my life!"

Grand Preceptor: "Ye Qing."

Ye Qing: "Disciple is here."

Grand Preceptor: "Summon the witness."

Old Master Mu's expression changed.

Ye Qing went downstairs personally.

Gu Jiao and Xiao Heng looked towards the stairs from behind the bookshelf.

Before long, they saw Ye Qing bring a middle-aged man with a plump figure upstairs.

Gu Jiao was slightly taken aback: "It was him?"

Xiao Heng asked, "You know him?"

"Mm." Gu Jiao nodded.

The Imperial Advisor looked at Old Master Mu: "Patriarch Mu, do you recognize him?"

Grandpa Mu frowned: "I don't recognize him."

"His name is Pang Hai, and he is the manager of the underground martial arts arena in Qidu. Manager Pang just happened to come to Shengdu." The Grand Preceptor said unhurriedly, "Ye Qing, bring the portrait."

Ye Qing handed a portrait to Pang Hai: "Do you recognize this person?"

The person in the portrait is the peddler who kidnapped the young princess.

Pang Hai stared at the portrait for a long time: "Ah, isn't this... Tong... Tong Wu! I almost didn't recognize him because of his changed clothes! He was a master in our underground martial arts arena, but he left the arena several years ago."

Ye Qing then asked, "Do you remember whose family invited him away?"

“This…” Pang Hai hesitated.

Ye Qing said solemnly, "I advise you not to hide anything from His Majesty."

Pang Hai forced a smile and said, "The Mu family."

A bolt of lightning struck from the blue, and Old Master Mu froze completely.

It will be completed within the year.

(End of this chapter)